Great Li Martial God

Hearing Li Musheng say this, Daoist Qingyu hesitated visibly for a moment, but in the end let out a quiet sigh, "Since you insist, this poor nun has no grounds to refuse. Only, that demonic text is exceedingly strange. I ask that you take great care."

"Also, this poor nun will recite the demonic text to you alone. Please do not pass it on to anyone else. Your martial cultivation is profound enough that you may be able to suppress the demonic art, but others lack your level of power and would inevitably fall into the demonic path as I have."

Li Musheng gave a nod to indicate the demonic text would be for his own study and would not be shared with anyone.

Daoist Qingyu then transmitted it through true qi once more, reciting the demonic text to Li Musheng.

Once he had received it, Li Musheng found that on its surface the demonic art was exactly as Daoist Qingyu had described, reading like an extraordinarily profound and mysterious Daoist scripture. But as he gradually examined it further, he found within it certain peculiar and abstruse methods that diverged entirely from orthodox martial cultivation.

Though he did not study it in depth due to time constraints, it was evident that these methods were likely the key to Daoist Qingyu's fall into the demonic path. This led Li Musheng to believe that Daoist Qingyu before him may well have been telling the truth after all.

"Take me to see the Great Xuan emperor's secret chamber."

Having obtained the demonic text, Li Musheng had Daoist Qingyu lead the group deeper into the passageway.

When they arrived at the secret chamber, Li Musheng went through everything inside that the Great Xuan emperor had cultivated, including the Soul-Searching Technique and the rest of the Demonic Patriarch's legacy, examining them all in turn.

Having accomplished what he came for, Li Musheng asked the question by way of formality, turning it toward the Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit and Zhao Kuang and the others.

At those words, the Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit and everyone else shook their heads repeatedly, and all of them looked at Li Musheng with somewhat puzzled expressions, none of them quite understanding what he meant by asking.

"Then I will destroy all of it."

Li Musheng glanced at them briefly, then gave a casual wave of his hand, and the secret texts of the demonic arts within the chamber turned to ash in an instant.

Only then did the others understand what Li Musheng had been asking, which seemed to be whether they wanted to keep the Great Xuan emperor's demonic techniques to cultivate themselves.

Though they were not sure whether Li Musheng would truly have given them away if they had said yes.

Zhao Kuang gave Li Musheng a long look. His attention was not on the Demonic Patriarch's legacy. What he wanted was the Longevity Scripture, though he suspected Li Musheng would not give it to him.

He did not press the matter for now. Having reached the secret chamber where the Great Xuan emperor had been in retreat, Zhao Kuang began carefully searching for evidence of the Great Xuan emperor's connection to the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult.

In the end, Zhao Kuang found that it was exactly as Daoist Qingyu had said. His father's hidden identity was indeed that of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult Master.

"Father Emperor, you truly kept yourself well hidden..."

Zhao Kuang's expression was unreadable. He gathered the correspondence between the Great Xuan emperor and the demonic cult, along with several other pieces of evidence, and wrapped them up to take out with him. Clearly he intended to bring them along.

If his father was truly dead, he naturally would not make any of it public after inheriting the throne. But if his father had somehow survived, he would have an ace in hand to hold over him.

Zhao Muning beside him had none of Zhao Kuang's calculating thoughts. She only stared at the ironclad evidence before her of the Great Xuan emperor's role as a demonic cult master, her expression somewhat dazed.

She was clearly still struggling to accept that her father, the sovereign of a nation, had in secret fallen into the demonic path and was even the cult master of one of the three great demonic sects of the martial world.

Just then, Li Musheng's voice sounded quietly in Zhao Muning's ear, "Have you thought over the question I asked you earlier?"

At those words, Zhao Muning instinctively looked toward Li Musheng.

She naturally knew which question he meant. She shifted her gaze and looked at Zhao Kuang, who was bent over gathering the Great Xuan emperor's incriminating evidence with focused determination.

Zhao Muning's eyes shifted with unspoken thought, then she shook her head almost imperceptibly, "You may not know, sir, that the position of Great Xuan emperor is not simply there for whoever wants it. And I have no desire for the throne."

As she said this, a flicker of pain and helplessness surfaced in her eyes, "My father fell into the demonic path and used infants to cultivate his demonic art. The fate he has come to is a just consequence. Since the Crown Prince has always longed to be emperor, let him have his wish."

"Once the matter of the Demonic Core in Taixuan City is settled, I will return to my sect and devote myself to martial cultivation in seclusion. I may not come back."

At those words, Li Musheng said nothing further.

Although he had no particular fondness for Zhao Kuang as Crown Prince, the outcome here was still reasonably satisfactory to him.

And there was one other thing: the Great Xuan emperor was not actually dead.

To be honest, even if Zhao Kuang truly became emperor, he would be ruling with a sword hanging over his head. The Great Xuan emperor might see to his end before Li Musheng ever had reason to lift a finger.

With that thought, Li Musheng gave Zhao Muning a long look.

The more he considered it, the more it seemed that while Zhao Muning appeared to have no interest in the throne, perhaps she was simply too sharp and clear-eyed not to have already seen through everything.

"Let's go."

Li Musheng beckoned to the Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit and Daoist Qingyu, then turned to leave the underground secret chamber.

The Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit acknowledged with a word and lifted the Grand Manager of the Treasure Assembly Trading House in good spirits, following immediately.

The Grand Manager had witnessed everything that had unfolded in the passageway from beginning to end, yet had remained expressionless throughout, saying not a single word. His gaze followed Li Musheng's and Daoist Qingyu's retreating backs, shifting with unspoken thoughts.

Seeing Li Musheng and the others leave, Zhao Kuang swept the chamber with a glance and quickly decided he had no intention of lingering either. He hoisted his bundle of evidence, called for Zhao Muning, and the two of them followed after.

Before long, with the passageway entrance in the room above reopened, the group emerged from underground without any obstruction.

But the Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit found something unexpected waiting for him. The entire room and the courtyard outside were completely empty. Every one of the Great Xuan martial world experts he had left to keep watch, along with the white-haired Daoist woman and the others, had vanished without a trace.

"What happened here?"

The Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit's brow furrowed. He dropped the Grand Manager to one side, then made a quick survey of the room and the courtyard, but found no signs of any struggle.

"Could they have slipped out of the palace on their own while we were gone? But their poison has not been lifted yet..."

The Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit looked puzzled and turned to glance at Zhao Kuang. Zhao Kuang set down the Great Xuan emperor's corpse he had been carrying on his back and waved his hands hurriedly, "This has nothing to do with me. But rest assured, the poison in your bodies will be removed by the palace's people, and I will not stand in the way of your departure."

At those words, the Crimson Cloud Evil Spirit said nothing, and looked toward Li Musheng.

Li Musheng's gaze was directed outward past the courtyard gates. At that moment, the white-haired eunuch and the purple-robed Daoist who had been following in Zhao Kuang's company came racing through the air and landed nearby, their eyes immediately going to Zhao Kuang and the Great Xuan emperor's corpse at his side.

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